Since 2008, the time when PPP took the reins, the government has been a victim of the worst controversies. From NRO to the judiciary crisis (a heritage of the Ex-President Musharaf) and from uprising of new political powers (in the form of Imran khan) to the conviction of their serving Prime Minister there have been no good times. Inflation, poverty, energy shortages and floods this government has seen it all and has touched all times low. With a GDP growth of 3.7 percent and an inflation of a monstrous 11.30 percent the country has been thrown into an economic crisis. An energy demand of 16,000 MW and a supply of 8,000 have rendered the country powerless.
More than 40 percent of the Pakistani textile industry and around 200000 power looms have been shifted to Bangladesh in the last five years giving the BD economy an unnatural boost. Today Bangladesh has a GDP growth of 6.3 percent, almost double of what Pakistan stands at. The way I see it this government will be quite glad to leave the throne and hand over the dilapidated and ram shackled economy to someone more able. But wait no! That would have been the case if these power-hungry morons had even an ounce of sincerity. Mr. Rehman Malik has been re-instated, over-ruling all the petty supreme court orders, Prime Minister Gilani continues with his amazing agenda even after bee convicted by the elite court. The utter disregard for the Supreme Court leaves one wondering that who will put an end to it.
Are we waiting for another martial law? Are we waiting for the divine to interfere? Or are we waiting for Imran Khan? It is incredible how we have lost faith in the military. The military of a country serves the purpose of protecting its borders and keeping peace within. Alas! For our wretched nation this hasn’t been the case. Over the past 7 years there have been 238 drone attacks killing 2245 Pakistani Citizens, almost 3.5 times the number of people who died on September the 11th. However, even today we have some faith left in the military, even though it’s more sentimental than substantial. Can we look to the divine? Sure we can! We are Muslims and we are believers. But Allah himself states that he doesn’t change a nation’s state until they themselves do something.
No, terrorism and suicide bombing do not in any way work towards changing that state! We need a bit more sanity than that. So what are we looking at then? Imran khan? One can only hope that someone with brains and guts can take the wheel and drive this country out of this horrendous mess we are in. However, we have to struggle towards the goal united; we have to believe that we can still attain a lot. We can still thrive and live and be there to see a more developed, corruption-free and prosperous Pakistan. In order to realize this dream we as a nation have to learn when to say stop, fight for our rights and rally for the right causes. Tearing down buildings, destroying national property, setting fire to the country are not going to help our cause, they will only hinder the feeble economy and decrepit it more than it already is. It’s time to set our sentiments aside, think like a nation and act like one.
JUNAID SHAFQAT PARACHA
Lahore